Indie right direction

A new property by a performance space launching next week hopes to foster a more robust community of independent artistes through mindfully programmed monthly gigs

Indie right direction

Rounak Maiti (on keys)

The latest offering for Mumbai's musicians and music lovers comes from G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture, who will be launching Indie Music Thursdays next week. This new property aims to not just relook at their own programming structure internally, but also foster a vigorous community of independent music artistes through monthly gigs.

Ishan Benegal, associate artistic director at the not-for-profit space in Mahalaxmi, is quick to clarify that it has always been committed towards supporting independent artistes. The motive behind this property is primarily to give shape and form to that endeavour. "It's a fairly simple idea. Our focus has always been on supporting indie artistes in as many ways as possible, and we have tried to that with other properties. But we thought that since we were taking a relook at our approach towards programming, it would be a good idea to have it in a more formal setting at the Black Box [the main theatre space inside the venue]," he explains.

Peter Cat Recording Company

In so far as the predominantly listless culture of music programming — which involves curating performances, weeding out artistes and building an active network in that space — at performances spaces goes, Benegal agrees that the market in India is still developing when compared to other countries. But he also adds that we're lucky to be living in a time, where there's so much talent.

"We have a lot to work with in terms of good artistes today, but I guess the biggest challenge is finance, and [showcasing] music involves high costs. This was also why we have been so hesitant to do this formally in the past, because we're a self-funded NGO," he shares, adding that it was possible to finally kick things off after months of network-building and a series of conversations that the team had had with various artistes. "It's more of a collaboration than us asking artistes to do something," he adds.

Ishan Benegal

Now that things have
worked out, it only makes sense to celebrate and so, the inaugural chapter of Indie Music Thursdays will spill over into the weekend with twin shows, with the first one featuring Rounak Maiti, a dream-pop, indie rock act. The show will be part of Maiti and his bandmates' five-city tour. "It will feature songs from my new album, Waiting on The Comedown, and it's going to be an immersive experience," Maiti shares.

Over Friday and Saturday, popular alternative indie band Peter Cat Recording Company will be performing, and lead vocalist Suryakant Sawhney shares, "We'll be playing a 90-minute set, which will include all the songs from our new album Bismillah, as well as some old songs. We have tried to design the set in such a way that it's seamless. There's also a surprise, but I can't say more."

On October 17, 9 pm; October 18, 8.30 pm; October 19, 1.30 pm
At G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture, Laxmi Mills Estate Mahalaxmi.
Log on to townscript.com
Cost Rs 499 onwards

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